§ 7728 — Accidents and accident reports

(a) Duty to stop and provide information.--Whenever any snowmobile or ATV is involved in an accident resulting in loss of life, personal injury or damage to property and the operator thereof has knowledge of such accident, he shall stop and give his name and address, the name and address of the owner thereof and the registration number of the snowmobile or ATV to the injured person or the person sustaining the damage or to a police officer. In case no police officer nor the person sustaining the damage is present at the place where the damage occurred, then the operator shall immediately report, as soon as he is physically able, the accident to the nearest law enforcement agency.

(b) Report of accident to department.--The operator of any snowmobile or ATV involved in any accident resulting in injuries to or death of any person or resulting in property damage to the estimated amount of $100 or more shall, within seven days after such accident, report the matter in writing to the department. If the operator is physically incapable of making the report and there is another participant in the accident not so incapacitated, the participant shall make the report within the prescribed period of time after the accident. In the event that there is no other participant and the operator is other than the owner, then the owner shall within the prescribed period of time, after learning of the facts of such accident, report the matter to the department, together with such information as may have come to his knowledge relating to such accident. Every operator or owner of a snowmobile or an ATV in an accident, or surviving participant of any such accident, shall make such other and additional reports as the department shall require.

(c) Report by law enforcement officer.--A law enforcement officer who investigates or receives information of an accident involving a snowmobile or an ATV shall make a written report of the investigation or information received, and such additional facts relating to the accident as may come to his knowledge, and mail the same within 48 hours to the department and keep a record thereof in his office.

(d) Exception.--This section does not apply when property damage is sustained in sanctioned snowmobile or ATV races, derbies and rallies.

Legislative History

(July 11, 1985, P.L.220, No.56, eff. 60 days)